President Aleksandar Vucic's three-day visit includes watching the parade marking 80 years since the end of World War II alongside delegations from Iran, North Korea and Slovakia - the only other European country represented.

The demonstration of Chinese military might is being held at the close of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, billed as a rival to NATO.

Despite its aspirations to join the European Union, Serbia has maintained close ties with both Beijing, a major investor in the Balkan nation, and Moscow, which supplies much of the country's gas.

Belgrade has never forgiven NATO for its bombing campaign that ended the Kosovo war in 1999.

In May, Vucic drew criticism from Brussels for attending a similar anniversary parade in Moscow.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Serbia has refused to impose sanctions in contrast to the EU, despite its membership hopes.

The Serbian president has been facing massive anti-corruption protests for the past 10 months and regularly thanks the Kremlin for support against the movement, which he decries as a foreign-funded plot to overthrow him.